Angiotensin II antagonists (“sartans”) are efficient active compounds with biological activity which has proved useful for the treatment of hypertension. Most of commercially available sartans contain biphenyl moiety substituted with 5-tetrazolyl or carboxy group on the position 2′ (Formula 1, X is COOH or 5-tetrazolyl).

Telmisartan or salt or ester thereof (TLM, Formula 2) known from EP 502314 and which can be prepared in accordance with this invention is used as a pharmaceutical compound alone or in combination with pharmaceutically acceptable carrier for treatment of hypertension in human or animal and functions as angiotensin II antagonists.

2′-halo-4-methylbiphenyls (Formula 3, X═CI, Br, I) are potential starting materials for the synthesis of biphenyl type sartans but they have not found an application in industry due to inefficient or expensive synthesis. Known procedures use Suzuki and Heck couplings which need for industry unfriendly boron and tin compounds, Ullmann reaction (Chem. Rev. 2002, 102, 1359-1469) give low yields and coupling of Grignard intermediates require significant amounts of starting materials (Org. Lett. 2000, 2, 3675-3677). The later reaction was exercised using 1,2-dihalobenzene, 4-halotoluene in the presence of magnesium and iodine for quenching the Grignard intermediate wherein 1,2-dihalobenzene, 4-halotoluene and iodine were used in the ratio of 1:2:3, which is not economically favorable for industrial application.

There is a need for efficient synthesis of biphenyl class of sartans especially for carboxy group containing derivatives such as telmisartan.